114-453: Dennis David Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah , is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan . After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo career with Ironman , which
228-637: A Xerox . Then again, I might use it as a Xerox if I find rare beats that nobody had in their crates yet". He played much of the piano himself, with Bill Evans and Thelonious Monk as major influences; for instance, he created the piano part to "Da Mystery of Chessboxin'" after watching the Thelonious Monk documentary, Straight, No Chaser . RZA's production technique, specifically the manner of chopping up and/or speeding or slowing soul samples, has been picked up by producers including Kanye West and Just Blaze . West's own take on RZA's style briefly flooded
342-462: A felony , and possession of cocaine , and he missed multiple court dates. In April 2001, he was sentenced to two to four years in prison. Once released from prison, he signed a million-dollar contract with Roc-A-Fella Records . On November 13, 2004, Ol' Dirty Bastard collapsed at Wu-Tang's recording studio in New York City, and was pronounced dead later that night. Wu-Tang Clan paid him homage
456-464: A Boy "(2006). Rico Love co-wrote Usher's " Throwback " (2005), Keri Hilson's " Energy "(2008), Pleasure P 's " Boyfriend #2 "(2008). The-Dream wrote Rihanna 's " Umbrella "(2007), J. Holiday 's " Bed " and Usher's " Moving Mountains " and " Trading Places "(2008). Ne-Yo wrote Mario's " Let Me Love You ", Rihanna's " Take a Bow " and " Unfaithful ", Beyoncé's " Irreplaceable "(2006) and “ Me & U ”(2006) by Cassie. According to Billboard ,
570-426: A collaboration between GZA and producer DJ Muggs , entitled Grandmasters were also released. On March 28, 2006, Ghostface Killah released Fishscale , to much critical acclaim and some commercial success. The entire group, including Cappadonna and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard, appeared on the track "9 Milli Bros". The same year, Ghostface Killah released More Fish . On June 25, 2006, Inspectah Deck released
684-583: A collaboration between both acts, which became the longest-running No. 1 hit in Hot 100 history. Carey also released a remix of her 1995 single " Fantasy ", with Ol' Dirty Bastard as a feature, a collaboration format that was unheard of at this point. Carey, Boyz II Men and TLC released albums in 1994 and 1995— Daydream . In the late 1990s, neo soul , which added 1970s soul influences to the hip hop soul blend, arose, led by artists such as Erykah Badu , Lauryn Hill and Maxwell . Hill and Missy Elliott further blurred
798-421: A double album consisting of 31 tracks, was not given a conventional commercial release and only one copy has been produced; the copy toured in museums, art galleries and music festivals before being sold at a high price to a single individual. In August 2014, a reporter from Forbes traveled to Marrakech to meet Cilvaringz and hear a 51-second snippet of a song from the album, which featured Cher . The snippet
912-602: A major label, but caught the attention of the New York City rap scene and was recognized by rapper Biz Markie . By 1991, The Genius and Prince Rakeem were signed to separate record labels. The Genius released Words from the Genius (1991) on Cold Chillin' Records and Prince Rakeem released Ooh I Love You Rakeem (1991) on Tommy Boy Records . Both were soon dropped by their labels. They then adopted new monikers; The Genius became GZA (pronounced "jizza"), and Prince Rakeem became RZA (pronounced "rizza"). The Specialist also took on
1026-618: A new name and became known as Ol' Dirty Bastard. RZA began collaborating with Dennis Coles, later known as Ghostface Killah, another rapper from the Stapleton Houses in Staten Island . The duo decided to create a hip hop group whose ethos would be a blend of " Eastern philosophy picked up from kung fu movies , Five-Percent Nation teachings picked up on the New York streets, and comic books". Wu-Tang Clan assembled in late 1992, with RZA as
1140-562: A number of times: in August 2006, one of his sons came out at a Wu-Tang concert at Webster Hall and rapped " Brooklyn Zoo ", along with his mother, and during a concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom the Clan brought his mother out on stage for a sing-along to "Shimmy Shimmy Ya". In 2005, RZA released a book titled The Wu-Tang Manual . In the same year, U-God's second album, Mr. Xcitement and
1254-416: A rap music sensibility." Ripani wrote that "the success of "Control" led to the incorporation of stylistic traits of rap over the next few years, and Janet Jackson was to continue to be one of the leaders in that development." That same year, Teddy Riley began producing R&B recordings that included hip hop influences. This combination of R&B style and hip hop rhythms was termed " new jack swing " and
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#17328914467391368-431: A revelation that also brought on the manager's subsequent firing. Cappadonna continued collaborating and touring with the group in the following years. In early 2004, U-God allegedly left the group. A DVD titled Rise of a Fallen Soldier was released detailing his problems, which were mostly with his treatment by RZA, who he claimed had hindered his success as a solo artist. U-God formed a group of young protegés called
1482-451: A second collaborative album was in the works. In an interview with Complex Magazine on November 17, 2012, Ghostface confirmed that he had left Def Jam, making Apollo Kids his last album on the label. In the same interview, he also stated that Blue & Cream , the sequel to his critically acclaimed album Supreme Clientele , was 80-85 percent done. On April 16, 2013, Ghostface released his tenth album Twelve Reasons to Die which
1596-689: A sequel to his 2000 album Supreme Clientele . In 2011, Ghostface Killah featured on UK artist Josh Osho 's debut single "Redemption Days". Ghostface released a collaborative album with D-Block member Sheek Louch called Wu Block . The album was released on November 27, 2012, on E1 Music and debuted at number 73 on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 8,600 copies in the United States. It fell to #152 in its second week selling 4,200 more copies. In January 2017, Ghostface and Sheek Louch announced on their respective social media accounts that
1710-454: A solid partner that understands our audience and is committed to doing all they can to help us reach the fans. I'm definitely looking forward to working with them to see what else we all come up with. There's much more to come". In 2009, U-God released his third solo album, Dopium , which features guest appearances from several Wu-Tang Clan members, and affiliates, among others, and was met with mostly lukewarm reviews. Wu-Tang Chamber Music
1824-688: A street album entitled The Resident Patient , a prelude to his upcoming album, titled The Rebellion , which is said to be his final solo album. Also released in 2006 were Masta Killa 's second studio album, Made in Brooklyn , to lukewarm reviews, and Method Man 's 4:21... the Day After . Ghostface Killah released his seventh full-length album, The Big Doe Rehab , in December 2007. In 2007, Wu-Tang Clan released their fifth album, 8 Diagrams , on Steve Rifkind's new label SRC Records . This album marked
1938-479: Is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop , soul , funk , hip hop , and electronic music . The genre features a distinctive record production style and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Electronic influences and the use of hip hop or dance -inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop may be reduced and smoothed out. Contemporary R&B vocalists often use melisma , and since
2052-403: Is a separate album, while the rapper stated that he himself had petitioned to have Wu-Massacre ' s release date postponed in order to yield more studio time. On February 25, 2011, Wu Tang Live At The Palladium NYC was released through the group's official Facebook page as a collectors digital download. This included exclusive, unreleased freestyles. It was limited to 100 downloads before
2166-533: Is also credited with reviving the mafioso rap subgenre. GZA's debut album, Liquid Swords , was released in November 1995. Liquid Swords features guest appearances from every Wu-Tang Clan member, and is linked together by excerpts from the 1980 movie Shogun Assassin . Ghostface Killah released his first solo album, Ironman , in October 1996. Ironman was critically acclaimed and is widely considered to be one of
2280-586: Is critically acclaimed for his loud, fast-paced flow , and his emotional stream-of-consciousness narratives containing cryptic slang and non-sequiturs . In 2006, MTV included him as an "honourable mention" on their list of the "Greatest MCs of All Time", while the editors of About.com placed him on their list of the "Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007)", calling him "one of the most imaginative storytellers of our time." Q magazine called him "rap's finest storyteller". Pitchfork Media has stated that "Ghostface has unparalleled storytelling instincts; he might be
2394-507: Is far more diverse and incorporates more sonic elements than before, as it expands its appeal and commercial viability. Trap music 's influence maintained a strong presence on the music charts with R&B singer Beyoncé 's songs " Drunk in Love ", " Flawless " and " 7/11 ", Bryson Tiller 's debut studio album, Trapsoul and Mary J. Blige 's " Thick of It ". Latin R&;B is gaining ground since
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#17328914467392508-529: Is regarded as being RZA's most experimental work to date. Raekwon and Ghostface Killah were unhappy with the album, and proposed recording a group album titled Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tan without RZA production. That album would eventually become Raekwon's fifth solo album Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang . In 2008, RZA released Digi Snacks , under the name Bobby Digital. The album included lesser-known Wu-Tang Clan affiliates such as Freemurder, Killa Sin, Black Knights, and others. In
2622-567: Is that she sings on the popular Wu-Tang track " Gravel Pit ". In 2003, Ghostface signed with Def Jam Records . After temporarily dropping "Killah" from his stage name, Ghostface released The Pretty Toney Album in April 2004. The album, while containing two RZA productions, featured none of the Clan; instead, it featured collaborations with Missy Elliott , D-Block , and Jacki-O . The singles " Tush " and "Run", which were collaborations with Missy and Jadakiss respectively, achieved moderate success in
2736-698: Is the father of rappers Sun God, Supreme, and singer Infinite. Ghostface Killah, like most members of the Wu-Tang clan, rapped under several personae, each with their own name, mythology and influences. Some recurring aliases: Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop musical collective formed in Staten Island , New York City , in 1992. Its members include RZA , GZA , Method Man , Raekwon , Ghostface Killah , Inspectah Deck , U-God , Masta Killa , and, until his death in 2004, Ol' Dirty Bastard . Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. They are credited for revitalizing East Coast hip hop and are considered one of
2850-596: The Sunset Park and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood soundtracks; both songs were included on his first solo LP, Ironman , in 1996. The album, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 , had a more pronounced soul influence (particularly 1970s soul) than previous Wu-Tang releases, and Ghostface's future albums would continue to feature this stylistic trait. He readily and regularly took on
2964-649: The "Billboard" 200 . His debut single " Run It! " peaked atop on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the US Radio Songs . During this time also came the emergence of R&B songwriters . Bryan-Michael Cox co-wrote Usher's " Burn " and " Confessions Part II "(2005), Mariah Carey's " Shake It Off " and " Don't Forget About Us " (2006), and Chris Brown's " Say Goodbye "(2006). Keri Hilson would co-write songs Mary J. Blige 's " Take Me as I Am " (2006), Omarion's " Ice Box " (2006), and Ciara's " Like
3078-502: The 1995 Grammy Awards . Ol' Dirty Bastard 's debut album, Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version , was released in March 1995, and is considered a hip hop classic. Raekwon's debut studio album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... , was released in August 1995. It featured all but one member of the Wu-Tang Clan, and featured the debut of Cappadonna , who later joined the group. The album
3192-420: The Billboard Hot 100 were African-American recording artists and accounted for 80% of the number-one R&B hits that year. Along with Usher's streak of singles, Top 40 radio and both pop and R&B charts were topped by Outkast 's " Hey Ya! ", Snoop Dogg 's " Drop It Like It's Hot ", Terror Squad 's " Lean Back " and Ciara 's " Goodies ". Chris Molanphy of " The Village Voice " later remarked that "by
3306-580: The Chamber Music title is very fitting. This music is totally in the chamber, or in the mind-frame of Wu-Tang like in the [ Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) ] days. But it's not a Wu-Tang album. The whole Clan's not on this album. But it couldn't be in any other category but Wu-Tang". Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II was released in September 2009, which features guest appearances from several big-name artists, and Clan members, with Ghostface being
3420-503: The Cristal brand of champagne) which Nas , Mobb Deep , Notorious B.I.G. , Jay-Z , and other popular artists all borrowed and/or expanded upon these themes at points in their respective careers. The Wu-Tang Clan's slang has long been a staple of their music, wherein members would blend Five Percenter terms, Kung Fu /oriental words, and comic book and street terms to create their own nicknames for actions, people, places and things (such as
3534-588: The Rock the Bells festival in California. The concert was released on CD under the name Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 , and they also released a music-video greatest hits album, Legend of the Wu-Tang Clan . Ol' Dirty Bastard's career was tumultuous. His run-ins with the law were well publicized—he was arrested several times for offenses including assault, shoplifting , wearing body armor after being convicted of
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3648-565: The Theodore Unit . Ghostface also appeared on "He Comes" by De La Soul, on The Grind Date . In November 2005, Ghostface and Theodore Unit's breakout star Trife Da God released a joint project, Put It on the Line . In 2006, Ghostface teamed up with underground artist MF Doom for a still-unreleased album entitled Swift & Changeable . MF Doom also produced several songs for Ghostface's 2006 album Fishscale , on which he chose to revert to
3762-497: The VH1 series Couples Therapy with his girlfriend Kelsey Nykole. Later that year Ghostface announced he would be releasing his eleventh album titled 36 Seasons in December 2014. He collaborated with Canadian jazz band BADBADNOTGOOD on an album titled Sour Soul , which was released in 2015 which earned a nomination for the 2015 Polaris Music Prize . A sequel to Twelve Reasons to Die , simply titled Twelve Reasons to Die II ,
3876-456: The de facto leader and the group's producer. RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard adopted the name for the group after the film Shaolin and Wu Tang . The group developed backronyms for the name (as hip hop pioneers such as KRS-One and Big Daddy Kane did with their names), including "We Usually Take All Niggas' Garments", "Witty Unpredictable Talent And Natural Game", and "Wisdom of the Universe, and
3990-569: The 2006 game Saints Row . Afro Samurai , based on the TV series, was released in January 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . Its soundtrack, like the show, was produced by RZA. Oliver "Power" Grant was one of the first to move from music to clothes. The Clan's executive producer, Grant began making clothes in the early 1990s, with little success. But in 1995, after the platinum success of Enter
4104-534: The Clan except Raekwon and GZA had put in work on the A Better Tomorrow album and that recording was being done at the Wu-Mansion, and the Wu-Mansion West. Unreleased verses from Ol' Dirty Bastard will also be featured on the album. He also stated he was hoping to release the album in November 2013. In July 2013 Cappadonna indicated the album was half way finished. Once November 2013 arrived, RZA gave an update on
4218-550: The Def Jam series Def Jam Vendetta , Def Jam Fight For NY , and Def Jam: Icon . Method Man is an avid fan of video games himself and has publicly stated that he loves playing SOCOM online with other PlayStation 2 users, and is part of an online clan ("KMA/Kiss My Ass"). His SOCOM II name is "ICU". He has a fellow SOCOM player featured on a skit on his album 4:21... The Day After . In Army of Two , main character Salem talks about Wu-Tang asking his teammate Rios who
4332-496: The Hillside Scramblers with whom he released the album U-Godzilla Presents the Hillside Scramblers in March 2004. The dispute culminated in a heated phone conversation between RZA and U-God on live radio, which ultimately saw the two reconcile. He has since returned to the group. In 2004, the group embarked on a short European tour before coming together as a complete group for the first time in several years to headline
4446-469: The Iron Man brand name. Coles was granted summary judgment on the lawsuit in April 2015, which stated that Marvel Entertainment , owners of the Iron Man character and brand, owned the "Iron Man" theme song, not Urbont. In August 2011, Coles filed a lawsuit against Universal Music for unpaid royalties. Like fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon , Coles is a convert to Islam , having converted in 2004. Ghostface
4560-465: The Tone (Guns & Roses) . In 1995, Coles was issued an arrest warrant for robbery. In December 1997, Coles was arrested for weapons possession after being pulled over for a traffic violation whereby police claimed that Coles got out of the car and became verbally abusive. He was wearing a bulletproof vest which gave them probable cause to search him and his car where they found a .357 Magnum handgun and he
4674-591: The Truth of Allah for the Nation of the Gods ". Wu-Tang Clan became known in 1993 following the release of the independent single " Protect Ya Neck ", which helped gain the group a sizable underground following. Though there was some difficulty in finding a record label that would sign the Wu-Tang Clan while still allowing each member to record solo albums with other labels, Loud / RCA finally agreed, releasing their debut album, Enter
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4788-465: The US and over 20 million copies worldwide. Confessions had four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles—" Yeah! ", " Burn ", " Confessions Part II " and " My Boo ". It won three Grammy Awards in 2005, including Best Contemporary R&B Album , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "My Boo" and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Yeah!" In 2004, all 12 songs that topped
4902-656: The Wu mansion in New Jersey. RZA has also said he had talked to Adrian Younge about working on a song for the album. On April 11, 2013, it was announced via a press release that their upcoming sixth studio album would be titled, A Better Tomorrow and was set to be released in July 2013. During late April 2013, the Clan performed at the 2013 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival . On May 17, an unreleased Wu-Tang song titled "Execution in Autumn"
5016-451: The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , in November 1993. The album loosely adopted a Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang theme, dividing the album into Shaolin and Wu-Tang sections. The album received critical acclaim, and to date is regarded as one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. The success of their debut album established the group as a creative and influential force in the 1990s, allowing individual members to negotiate solo contracts. RZA spoke on
5130-457: The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) , manufacturers who earlier wouldn't extend Power credit saw the potential. He opened four Wu Wear stores, in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Norfolk, Virginia. The line was carried in Macy's, Rich's, and d.e.m.o, among others. Power says he earned $ 10 million in 1998. Method Man was unhappy with the decision to bring Wu-Tang into the fashion world with Wu Wear, despite
5244-456: The Wu-Tang Clan's unorthodox business model: We reinvented the way hip hop was structured, and what I mean is, you have a group signed to a label, yet the infrastructure of our deal was like anyone else's [...] We still could negotiate with any label we wanted, like Meth went with Def Jam , Rae stayed with Loud , Ghost went with Sony , GZA went with Geffen Records , feel me? [...] And all these labels still put " Razor Sharp Records " on
5358-448: The album Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang re-surfaced in July 2009; originally planned as a Wu-Tang album without RZA's input. The project evolved to include RZA only vocally, with no contribution to production. Raekwon stated "[It'll] be alter egos challenging each other, really allowing RZA to fall back on the production and allowing us to give him a flashback memory to the things we know we need from the abbot [RZA]. We want him to be involved [with
5472-444: The album as an MC], but the concept was for him not to be involved production-wise". Speaking to MTV.com, Method Man revealed his, Ghostface Killah's and Raekwon's plans to record a separate album as a trio: "I don't want to say it's written in stone, but it's in discussion. I want some feedback from the fans to see how they would take that. RZA produced tracks, some other outside producers, of course, and we gonna have Wu-Tang members on
5586-402: The album was approximately six weeks from completion. In January 2014, the group posted a message on their Facebook page, saying: "The new Wu album 'A Better Tomorrow' coming soon." After several disputes between Raekwon and RZA about the direction of the group and album, they reconciled, with the latter agreeing to record verses for A Better Tomorrow . On October 3, 2014, it was announced that
5700-405: The album will arrive December 2, 2014, courtesy of a new deal with Warner Bros. Records . The album was released late 2014. In March 2014 it was reported that in addition to work on A Better Tomorrow , a Wu-Tang Clan compilation album entitled The Wu – Once Upon A Time In Shaolin had been recorded, with Wu-Tang-affiliated producer Cilvaringz as the primary producer instead of RZA. The album,
5814-522: The album, became a minor club hit. Supreme Clientele marked a turning point in terms of RZA's influence on Ghostface's sound, as only six songs on it are produced by RZA, whereas on Ironman , its predecessor, every song but one is produced by RZA. Although he contributed fewer beats to the project than to Ironman , RZA personally oversaw the mixing and production of the album as a whole, thereby contributing to Supreme Clientele ' s unified sound. Ghostface wasted little time in recording his next album,
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#17328914467395928-425: The album, but it'll be a Rae, Ghost and Meth album". Soon after, Ghostface Killah cemented the details: the record, featuring other Wu-Tang Clan members, was to consist primarily of him, Method Man, and Raekwon. The title, as announced in three separate trailers (directed by Rik Cordero ) promoting the upcoming release, is Wu-Massacre . Speaking on their willingness to complete the album, Ghostface Killah estimated
6042-464: The album, performing several of his concerts together with most of the other members of the Wu-Tang Clan. In 2007, Ghostface provided the theme song for the Irish animated series Skunk Fu! that ran on Kids' WB . On December 4, 2007, Ghostface released his seventh solo studio album, The Big Doe Rehab . In a May 2008 interview, Ghostface Killah stated that he would make an R&B -inspired album in
6156-431: The album, saying that not every member had been significantly working on the album. He gave credit to Method Man, Cappadonna, U-God and Masta Killa for working hard on the album, while saying he needed more effort from Ghostface, Raekwon and GZA. Shortly after Method Man stated that Raekwon had not worked on the album at all, and Ghostface had only recorded two songs for the album so far. In late November, RZA suggested that
6270-514: The best member is. Salem says it's RZA but he says Ghostface Killah is pretty good himself. In the ending cut scene, a reference is made when Salem says "Survey says?" and Rios replies "You're dead". The exchange referenced the lyric, "And the survey says? / You're dead!" from "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin' Ta F' Wit", from the album Enter the Wu-Tang Clan (36 Chambers) . Several tracks by Clan members and affiliates such as Method Man, Ghostface, Cappadonna, Trife, DJ Mathematics and others were featured in
6384-473: The best of Wu-Tang solo albums. Wu-Tang Clan re-assembled and released their second studio album, Wu-Tang Forever , in June 1997; it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 . The album's lead single, " Triumph ", is over five minutes long, features nine verses (one from each member plus Cappadonna and excluding Ol' Dirty Bastard who appeared on the intro and bridge), and no hook or a repeated phrase. The album
6498-437: The best, most colorful storyteller rap has ever seen." NPR has called him "a compulsive storyteller", and asserts that "his fiction is painterly ." Ghostface grew up in the Stapleton Houses housing project in Staten Island , New York City, helping with daily care of two younger brothers who had muscular dystrophy. The 2019 series Wu-Tang: An American Saga depicts a feud between him and fellow Clan member Raekwon ; however
6612-399: The brand being a major money-maker for the group. "When Wu-Wear started making shoes and sneakers and pants, it was shoddy material. I never rocked that shit." "I'm going to bring out Dirty Wear," declared ODB. "A set of ready-worn clothes: 'Dirty Wear, for the girl who likes to wear her panties three days in a row.'" Contemporary R%26B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B )
6726-655: The careers of a number of affiliated artists and groups , collectively known as the Wu-Tang Killa Bees. In the late 1980s, cousins Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, and Russell Jones formed a group named Force of the Imperial Master, also known as the All in Together Now Crew. Each member recorded under an alias: Diggs as Prince Rakeem or The Scientist, Grice as The Genius, and Jones as The Specialist. The group never signed to
6840-702: The christening of Staten Island as "Shaolin Land" and money as "C.R.E.A.M."). RZA noted in The Wu-Tang Manual , that Raekwon was the resident "slang-master" of a great deal of the slang used by the group. All nine original members of the group were featured in the game Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style , released for the PlayStation on October 31, 1999, as well as a special collector's edition controller. Ghostface Killah and Yung Dirty Doucette, as well as collaborators, Redman and Keith Murray , also play themselves in all three games in
6954-506: The clubs and on the charts, and the album was featured on numerous "best of the year" lists; for instance, it was Pitchfork Media's #9 album of the year. Ghostface also appeared on the track "On My Knees" by UK R&B group the 411 ; the song became a hit in the UK and Australia . Ghostface then released an album entitled 718 (after the Staten Island area code ) with a group of his protégés,
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#17328914467397068-411: The credits [...] Wu Tang was a financial movement. So what do you wanna diversify...? [...] Your assets? In 1994, RZA founded the group Gravediggaz with Prince Paul , Frukwan (both of Stetsasonic ) and Poetic . In August of the same year, the group released 6 Feet Deep , which became one of the best known works to emerge from the horrorcore subgenre. RZA held the role of primary producer for
7182-474: The early 2000s, urban music "was" pop music." Between 2005 and 2009 Raymond, Knowles and Keys released albums— B'Day , Here I Stand , I Am... Sasha Fierce and The Element of Freedom . Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi (2005) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and earned ten Grammy Award nominations. The second single " We Belong Together " topped the Hot 100 charts for 14 weeks, and
7296-538: The early 2000s, which featured massive crossover success on the Billboard charts by R&B and hip hop artists. In 2001, Alicia Keys released " Fallin' " as her debut single, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 , Mainstream Top 40 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. It won three Grammy Awards in 2002, including Song of the Year , Best R&B Song , and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance . It
7410-468: The end of the disco era in the late 1970s, when Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones added more electronic elements to the sound of the time, creating a smoother dancefloor-friendly style. The first result was Off the Wall (1979), which—according to Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic —"was a visionary album, that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not
7524-486: The feud was purely fictional and never took place in reality. Raekwon and Ghostface attended junior high school together. A roommate of Wu-Tang founder RZA , Ghostface helped bring together the other seven members. In 1995, Ghostface guest-starred extensively on fellow Clan member Raekwon 's debut album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... , appearing on almost every song and receiving nearly equal billing. "It felt good to have my boy next to me, Ghostface, who basically comes from
7638-446: The film world, everybody is multi-tasking right now. " Ghostface appeared on a total of 8 songs on Raekwon's highly anticipated release of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II . Shortly after the release of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II , Def Jam contracted Raekwon to work with their label artists Method Man and Ghostface Killah on an album which later received the title Wu-Massacre . Production began in November 2009. Wu-Massacre
7752-402: The first wave of the group members' solo albums, producing out of his basement studio in Staten Island. In November 1994, Method Man's debut album, Tical , was released. RZA's hands-on approach to Tical extended beyond his merely creating the beats to devising song concepts and structures. The track " All I Need " from Tical was the winner of the "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" at
7866-597: The five members who had already released albums, as well as debuts from all the remaining members, with the exception of Masta Killa. In the space of two years, RZA's Bobby Digital In Stereo , Method Man's Tical 2000: Judgement Day and Blackout! (with Redman ), GZA's Beneath the Surface , Ol' Dirty Bastard's Nigga Please , U-God's Golden Arms Redemption , Raekwon's Immobilarity , Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele and Inspectah Deck's Uncontrolled Substance were all released (seven of them being released in
7980-833: The genre. The use of effects such as Auto-Tune and new computerized synths have given R&B a more futuristic feel while still attempting to incorporate many of the genre's common themes such as love and relationships. According to Christgau in 2017, "almost all R&B goes for voice-plus-sound rather than voice-plus-song, with the sound ranging from precision track-and-hook to idiosyncratic atmospherics." Early 2010s artists Usher and Chris Brown began embracing new electronic influences while still keeping R&B's original feel. Usher's " OMG " and " DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love ", and Chris Brown's " Yeah 3x " are all EDM-oriented. Singers Miguel , John Legend and Jeremih are popular in mainstream hip hop for many collaborations with rappers such as Wale , Rick Ross and J. Cole . Today's R&B
8094-438: The greatest hip hop groups of all time. After signing to Steve Rifkind's label Loud Records in 1992, Wu-Tang Clan released their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993; initially receiving positive reviews, it has since garnered widespread critical acclaim and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Members of the group released solo albums between 1994 and 1996. In 1997,
8208-487: The group as a whole, U-God, Wu-Syndicate, Killarmy, Shyheim, West Coast Killa Beez , Black Knights and others, and would be available online beginning September 23. RZA said: "The time is right to bring some older Wu material to the masses digitally. Our fans have been dedicated and patient and they're hungry to hear the music that has set us apart from so many others. Hip-hop is alive in Wu Music, and with The Orchard, we've got
8322-415: The group members themselves. The Swarm sold well and was certified gold . There was also a long line of releases from secondary affiliates such as Popa Wu , Shyheim , GP Wu , and Wu-Syndicate . Second albums from Gravediggaz and Killarmy, as well as a greatest hits album and a b-sides compilation, were also released. The second round of solo albums from Wu-Tang Clan members included second albums from
8436-618: The group released their second album, Wu-Tang Forever . It debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards . The group later released the albums The W (2000), Iron Flag (2001), 8 Diagrams (2007), and A Better Tomorrow (2014), to less popularity. The only copy of their seventh album, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin (2015), was purchased for $ 2 million by former hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli . Wu-Tang Clan has introduced and launched
8550-462: The group's 20th anniversary, though Raekwon doubted it. On January 9, 2013, work on the sixth Wu-Tang Clan album was announced via the group's official Facebook page. In early March 2013 Method Man announced that the Clan was working on a sixth studio album and it would be released during 2013 in celebration of their 20-year anniversary since 36 Chambers . Cappadonna has said the album is in recording process taking place in New York, Los Angeles and
8664-466: The heavily R&B -influenced Bulletproof Wallets , released a year after Supreme Clientele . Its main single, " Never Be the Same Again ", featured Raekwon and Carl Thomas . It produced another minor club hit, "Flowers", which featured guest vocals from fellow Wu-Tang members Method Man and Raekwon, and a popular single, " Ghost Showers " which featured Madame Majestic, whose other key claim to fame
8778-475: The inclusion of Cappadonna as an official member of the group. In an interview with MTV.com , Ghostface Killah stated that he was upset with RZA for starting the 8 Diagrams project while he was in the middle of writing and recording The Big Doe Rehab , as well as giving 8 Diagrams the same release date as The Big Doe Rehab , for which RZA rescheduled a release date one week later. The outcome of 8 Diagrams received mixed views from both fans and critics, and
8892-535: The line between R&B and hip hop by recording both styles. Beginning in 1995, the Grammy Awards enacted the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album , with II by Boyz II Men becoming the first recipient. The award was later received by TLC for CrazySexyCool in 1996, Tony Rich for Words in 1997, Erykah Badu for Baduizm in 1998 and Lauryn Hill for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1999. In 1994
9006-498: The loss by interrupting Shawn Colvin 's acceptance speech for Song of the Year . Killah Priest , a close associate of the group, released Heavy Mental in March 1998. That same month, Cappadonna released his debut album The Pillage . Affiliated groups Sunz of Man and Killarmy also released well-received albums, followed by Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm —a compilation album released in 1998, showcasing these and more Wu-affiliated artists, and including new solo tracks from
9120-536: The mid-1980s, R&B rhythms have been combined with elements of hip hop culture and music, pop culture and pop music. According to Geoffrey Himes speaking in 1989, the progressive soul movement of the early 1970s "expanded the musical and lyrical boundaries of [R&B] in ways that haven't been equaled since". This movement was led by soul singer-songwriter/producers such as Curtis Mayfield , Marvin Gaye , and Stevie Wonder . Norman Whitfield 's productions at Motown ,
9234-444: The most commercially successful R&B acts of the decade were Usher , Alicia Keys , Beyoncé , Mariah Carey , Rihanna , Chris Brown , Ne-Yo and Akon . Continuing from the 1990s and 2000s, R&B, like many other genres, drew influences from the technical innovations of the time and began to incorporate more electronic and machine-made sounds and instruments, this evolving style called Electro-R&B slowly began dominating
9348-554: The most prominent, and also production from RZA, Dr. Dre , Pete Rock , and J Dilla , among others. The album was initially intended to be released on Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records . The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and at number 2 on the Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and has been praised by most music critics. Several weeks later, Ghostface Killah released Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City . Talk of
9462-506: The page was disabled after this figure was reached. On June 29, 2011, Raekwon announced that the group were working on a new studio album, still in early stages. Ghostface Killah later said that the album would be released in May 2012. Members went back and forth on the issue. While GZA hinted that a new album was unlikely, the RZA said a new Wu-Tang Clan album might happen after all, on the occasion of
9576-471: The primary focus" and "was part of a colorful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk". Richard J. Ripani wrote that Janet Jackson 's Control (1986) was "important to the development of R&B for several reasons", as she and her producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis , "crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and
9690-479: The project. The album was sold through Paddle8, an online auction house, for $ 2 million to Martin Shkreli . When the FBI arrested Martin Shkreli on December 17, 2015, they did not seize the Wu-Tang Clan album. Following the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential election , Shkreli broadcast excerpts from the album on streaming platforms Periscope and Hitbox.tv . In July 2021, it
9804-580: The rap market with what was dubbed "chipmunk soul", the pitch bending of a vocal sample to where it sounded as though the singer had inhaled helium. Several producers at the time copied the style, creating other offshoots. West has admitted that his style was distinctly influenced by RZA's production, and RZA has acknowledged his influence in an issue of Scratch magazine , saying he wished he had produced "Jesus Walks" and "Breathe", two 2004 hits produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze, respectively. Kanye West commented: Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all
9918-452: The record label of Gaye, were also pioneering for setting the soul vocals and simple hooks of earlier rhythm and blues records against strong backbeats , vocal harmonies, and orchestral sounds, all of which thickened the texture of the music. Gaye's own music on albums such as What's Going On (1971) incorporated jazz influences that led the genre into a looser musical direction. The nearest precursor to contemporary R&B came at
10032-523: The release date of the album to be the end of 2009 or January 2010. It was then announced that the album would be pushed back from December to March 30, 2010; the single, "Meth vs. Chef Part II", was released after the announcement. Produced by Mathematics , it is an update of the song "Meth vs. Chef" from Method Man's first solo album, Tical , featuring verses by only Method Man and Raekwon. It had been confirmed by Raekwon that Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang would in fact be his next solo album and that Wu-Massacre
10146-438: The role of executive producer for many collective efforts as well along with RZA and Oli Power Grant. In the year 2000, Ghostface released his second studio album, Supreme Clientele . The album was well received by critics, and peaked at #7 on the Billboard 200 . It included " Apollo Kids ", a popular single which featured Raekwon and had a sample of "Cool Breeze" by Solomon Burke . " Cherchez La Ghost ", another single off
10260-427: The same lifestyle as I come from. And we were able to sit down and concoct an idea that we both were able to respect and basically get everybody in the crew involved...", said Raekwon about Ghostface's involvement in the project. Raekwon intended Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... to play like a film, with himself as the "star", Ghostface Killah as the "guest star" and producer RZA as the "director". He also contributed songs to
10374-407: The same year, GZA released the album Pro Tools . In September 2008, RZA announced that he had signed a deal with digital music company The Orchard to release the Wu-Tang Clan's back catalogue worldwide digitally, for the first time. In addition to forthcoming material, the Wu-Tang Clan's catalogue includes 13 previous releases that have been previously unavailable digitally, including recordings by
10488-780: The singer Aaliyah drop her debut album and in 1996 she released her second album called "One In A Million" with different sounds and produced by Missy Elliot and Timbaland, unknown at that moment. At the end of 1999, Billboard magazine ranked Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson as the first and second most successful artists of the 1990s. Simultaneously, in the second half of the 1990s, The Neptunes and Timbaland set influential precedence on contemporary R&B and hip hop music. Writing in 2003, music critic Robert Christgau describes modern R&B as being "about texture, mood, feel—vocal and instrumental and rhythmic, articulated as they're smooshed together". Following periods of fluctuating success, urban music attained commercial dominance during
10602-415: The single " Gravel Pit ". The album reached platinum status. In 2001, Wu-Tang Clan released their fourth album, Iron Flag . While originally featured on the cover of Iron Flag , Cappadonna was airbrushed out of the artwork and absent from the album entirely. This may be related to tension that arose within the group when it was revealed that Cappadonna's manager was, or had been, a police informant,
10716-470: The space of seven months between June 1999 and January 2000). RZA also composed the score for the film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai , directed by Jim Jarmusch , while he and other Wu-Tang members contributed music to a companion "music inspired by the film" album. The frequent release of Wu-Tang Clan content between 1997 and 2000 was considered by some critics to have resulted in an oversaturation that
10830-425: The stage name "Ghostface Killah", rather than just "Ghostface". The album debuted strongly, appearing at the #4 position on the U.S. Billboard 200 and at #2 on the R&B charts, the rapper's most auspicious chart showing since the heyday of the Wu-Tang Clan and the release of his solo debut. The album also received near-unanimous positive reviews. Ghostface embarked on a limited-date tour of U.S. venues in support of
10944-504: The time... We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that. Raekwon 's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... helped (with the likes of Kool G Rap ) popularize mafioso rap , which remained widespread for more than half a decade. The landmark album touted a lifestyle patterned on drug dealing, regrets of living in harsh conditions, and partying (including popularizing
11058-459: The vein of certain tracks he had done before with artists such as Ne-Yo and Jodeci . That album would become his eighth studio album, Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City , which won good reviews from music critics. It featured singles such as "Baby" and "Do Over". In March 2009, Ghostface responded to the Rihanna / Chris Brown controversy by recording a song, "Message from Ghostface", which
11172-566: Was also nominated for Record of the Year . Beyoncé 's solo studio debut album Dangerously in Love (2003) has sold over 5 million copies in the United States and earned five Grammy Awards . Usher 's Confessions (2004) sold 1.1 million copies in its first week and over 8 million copies in 2004, since then it has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, As of 2016, has sold over 10 million copies in
11286-577: Was announced that the album had been again sold by the US government for an undisclosed amount (later revealed as $ 4 million USD), following Shkreli handing it over to the FBI in 2018 after being convicted of defrauding investors. The new owner of the album is the PleasrDAO group. On August 25, 2017, Wu-Tang Clan released the song, "People Say", which featured Redman. RZA announced that the song would be part of an upcoming album, titled The Saga Continues . The album
11400-767: Was applied to artists such as Keith Sweat , Bobby Brown , Johnny Kemp , and Bell Biv DeVoe . Using hip hop -inspired backing tracks, a new genre labeled " hip hop soul " was created by Mary J. Blige and producer Sean Combs . During the mid-1990s, Whitney Houston 's The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album eventually sold over 45 million copies worldwide becoming the best-selling soundtrack of all time. Janet Jackson 's self-titled fifth studio album Janet (1993), which came after her multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records , sold over 14 million copies worldwide. Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey recorded several Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits, including " One Sweet Day ",
11514-510: Was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. In February 1999, Coles was issued a 6-month sentence for attempted robbery, and later pleaded guilty to an additional charge of weapons possession and was issued five years of probation with four months of prison time. In July 2011, Coles was sued by Jack Urbont for copyright violation stemming from the "improper use" of the 1960s " Iron Man " theme song, which Urbont claimed as his own. Urbont also took issue with Coles' appropriation of
11628-503: Was dedicated to women in abusive relationships. In a May 2009 interview with Rolling Stone , Raekwon indicated that Ghostface Killah was preparing to release a new album. In response to a question asking if the Wu-Tang Clan were going to release a follow-up to 8 Diagrams , Raekwon stated, " Everybody's doing different things right now — you got Meth [Method Man] coming out with an album , you got Ghostface coming out with an album, some guys working on their projects, some guys getting into
11742-407: Was described by AllMusic as "consisting of stark, booming beats and chilling samples (heavily drawing from vintage soul records as well as kung fu movies)," summarizing it as "lean, menacing." According to RZA, he tries to have no more than 20–25% sampling on any given record, something starkly different from many other major hip hop groups. He uses "the sampler more like a painter's palette than
11856-577: Was later hailed "song of the decade" and won a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 2006. The mid-2000s came with the emergence of new R&B acts Ashanti , Keyshia Cole and Akon . Ashanti's eponymous debut album topped both US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It earned her three Grammy nominations winning one for the Best Contemporary R&;B Album . R&B newcomer Chris Brown released his self-titled album in 2005 which debuted at number two on
11970-511: Was produced by Adrian Younge and executive produced by RZA. The album was released in various formats such as CD , vinyl and cassette under RZA's Soul Temple Records . The deluxe digital and CD versions also came with a comic book. He would later announce that the sequel to Supreme Clientele would be released between July and September 2013 and that his collaborative album with MF Doom would be released around Halloween 2013 though neither projects materialized. In January 2014, he appeared on
12084-480: Was produced by RZA and his protégés True Master and 4th Disciple . The group's lyrics differed significantly from those of 36 Chambers , with many verses written in a dense stream of consciousness form heavily influenced by the teachings of the Five-Percent Nation . Wu-Tang Forever was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards , losing to Puff Daddy ; Ol' Dirty Bastard infamously protested
12198-548: Was released March 30, 2010 to generally positive reviews from music critics; this time, however, reviews were more mixed, with some critics objecting to the 30-minute-long album's rushed feel. With heavy promotion, it sold 37,900 units in its first week; it has sold 64,000 units as of May 12, 2010. It features production from Scram Jones , Mathematics, and The RZA, who produced the album's lead single, "Our Dreams". In 2010, Ghostface confirmed that he would be releasing two new studio albums, Apollo Kids and one which would serve as
12312-518: Was released for purchase through RZA's record label Soul Temple Records . They performed at the 2013 HOT 97 Summer Jam at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, twenty years after they performed at the first annual Summer Jam concert. On June 5, 2013, the first promotional single "Family Reunion" featuring Masta Killah, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and RZA was released via the Soul Temple Records website. In June 2013 RZA said so far every member of
12426-429: Was released in the same year, a side project executively produced by RZA, featuring live instrumentation from a Brooklyn soul band The Revelations. The album features appearances from five Wu-Tang Clan members, along with AZ , Kool G Rap , Cormega , Havoc , Sean Price , and M.O.P. Its first single, "Harbor Masters" featured Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, and AZ. RZA spoke about the album to Billboard.com: "I think
12540-490: Was released on July 10, 2015. Ghostface had a string of UK and European tour dates scheduled in 2016. Ghostface provided vocals on the song "Purple Hearts" from Kendrick Lamar's album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers in 2022. In January 2023, Ghostface partnered with Kano Computing to release exclusive music, videos, meetings, and concerts on the Stem Player. In May 2024, Ghostface released his 12th studio album, Set
12654-537: Was released on October 13 under the name "Wu-Tang", as U-God was absent from it. The Saga Continues was primarily produced by Mathematics , and debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200. The Wu-Tang Clan collective became the first HipHop act to receive a Las Vegas artist residency with "Wu-Tang Clan: The Saga Continues… The Las Vegas Residency" at The Theater at Virgin Hotels , launched February 2024. RZA's production
12768-434: Was responsible for the group's decline in popularity. The group reconvened again for their third album, The W . Despite his incarceration in California for violating the terms of his probation , Ol' Dirty Bastard was on the song "Conditioner", featuring Snoop Dogg . Ol' Dirty Bastard's vocals were recorded via prison telephones. The W was released in November 2000, and was mostly well received by critics, and included
12882-447: Was subsequently put on their website. The album is encased in a handcrafted silver-and-nickel box made by British-Moroccan artist Yahya and features never-before-heard music recorded over years. RZA stated he has been receiving multiple million dollar offers for the album. Despite the album's exclusivity it made an appearance in electronic dance music producer Skrillex 's music video for his song "Fuck That" even though he did not purchase
12996-407: Was well received by music critics, in 1996. He has enjoyed continued success in the years that have followed, releasing critically acclaimed albums such as Supreme Clientele (2000) and Fishscale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of the characters in the 1979 kung fu film The Mystery of Chess Boxing . He is the founder of his own record label , Starks Enterprises. Ghostface Killah
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